by Raymond Doward

Created on: October 26, 2009

It is a true fact that after a tornado, hurricane, flood or earthquake there are a great number of homes that will have withstood the storm. Amazingly houses that are right next to one another will show two different results from the same storm. one house completely standing while the other devastated. One thing is for certain, home owners who take the time to properly guard against such storms by applying the necessary materials in and around the home will have a greater chance of weathering the storm. It is the will of God that families remain together. But the devil has launched an all out war against the home because he understands the importance of isolating families through anger, hatred, and unfaithfulness. Families who do not remain together as one unit and union are candidates to be picked off one by one by the devil who thrives on confusion.

When problems hit home, the family must depend on God first, and themselves after, and not the other way around. Job went through an unthinkable tragedy when he and his wife lost 10 of their children in one day. How painful that must have been. I have personally lost one newborn daughter (I wrote a poem in her honor) . But in a crucial time when Job and his wife needed one another, she tells him to just curse God and die. In other words she was saying I've lost my children, so I surely don't need you! Tragic situations in the home that change its very existence can also change perspectives. The death of a loved one who no longer sits in a certain chair for the holidays or at the supper table can take it's toll. During tragic times families must communicate, be honest of their true feelings, pray together, and continue to trust and obey God. Blaming God will only divide homes because he is the only one that can heal the family pain.

In the above scripture text there were two houses that were built. One was built with the storm in mind while the other was built without a firm foundation (sand). The one that was built with the storm in mind was the house that was built on the word of God. God has complete instructions for how parents as well as children are to behave as a family. One example is in Ephesians 6 that says children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and your mother that your days may be long on the earth. Then the scripture goes on to say fathers provoke not your children to wrath. When these commands are violated, then there will be family problems. Notice also from the text that storms came against both houses. The one house that was built upon the rock encountered storms as well as the house built on sand. The difference was that the one built on the word of God remained standing. No home is storm proof because as long as we are in the world Jesus said we would have tribulation (trouble). But for the home that incorporates the word of God, there will be victory rather than defeat.

Jesus also said that a house divided against itself cannot stand. This type of home is not affected by the elements that come from the outside of the home which include other peoples opinions, other peoples lies, busy bodies who are constantly in matters that do not concern them. Also a married individual has no business taking the advice of a single person, because the single person has nothing to offer in the form of advice having never been married. A house that is divided against itself is a different form of storm because instead of problems coming against the home from the out side, this storm comes from inside the home causing it to implode. Family fights, arguments, lies, distrust, jealousy, envy, strife, hatred and anger are just a few of the things that can cause a home to break down from the inside.

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